Lethally Drawn by You
by FetusAndTreeScribbles
Summary: Sai x Reader x Sasori set in an AU. Vida is torn between her painting classmate, curious Sai, and her physiology lecturer, practical Sasori. As the year progresses, shit hits the fan as Vida unintentionally begins the two timing tango. Heavy editing required. I don't own anything except for my OCs and plot.
1. The Beginning

Booze. Drugs. Music.

The unholy trinity of all parties.

I inch closer to the stairs, making slow progress through the hubbub.

Christ, this music is killing me.

"Turn it up! " Someone howls.

I wince as the fifth replay of 'Sing' blasts through the speakers. The skeleton of the house reverberates ever so slightly. My soul itches to be free of the stench of sweat, the noises clawing through my mind and the repressing crowds. I glare at the staircase, determined to search for the girl who plunged me into this hellhole of a graduation party. As expected, I find her leaning against her bedroom door, beckoning a man with a simple notion of a finger. Freezing, I shut my open mouth, hoping to avoid her line of sight.

Really? Another guy? Just after her break up? My thoughts wander to the fleeting memory of an innocent adolescent, blissfully unaware of her insatiable sexual appetite after the incident. A few years difference truly decides whether shit hits the fan or not.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" Aya purrs, sashaying closer to her victim, arms outstretched. She embraces him and rests her head on his shoulder.

"Aya!" I hiss, taking a step forward.

She lazily winks at me.

The man lets out a chuckle, the sort of chuckle naughty children deserved.

"My apologies," the man cheerfully replies. "But I'm afraid you've interpreted my advances the wrong way."

Aya's face flushes, she takes a step forward.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" She snarls, morphing from whimsical seductress into incandescent harpy.

"I merely wanted to have a pleasant conversation, but it seems that you thought I wanted to have sex with you. How shallow." He explains slowly, stoking the rage inside Aya. "Additionally, I find you rather ugly."

"You piece of shit!"

There were a few things you never say to Aya. He just said both of the worst. Nonchalantly.

"Aya!" I repeat and move in front of the man. "Stop!"

She pauses, warily gazing at me. Venomously, she asks. "Why?"

"Take a break." I sigh. "You need a break, out of all people."

Her anger evaporates somewhat, leaving disappointment as the dregs. She shakes her head and prowls back into her den. I exhale in relief. I turn to face the man.

"Whatever you do, don't say shallow or ugly in her face ever again," I say, glaring deep into his charcoal eyes that were slightly slanted, hinting Oriental descent. I then notice the rest of his physical features.

Alabaster skin, the paleness bordering to sickness. The colour of his straight hair is identical to his inquisitive eyes, black, soft as sin. My eyes lower down to his perfectly sculpted lips, pale as his skin.

His face is symmetrical. God, what about his -

"Of course, Vida." He acknowledges, and shoots me a smile. A smile I could immediately identify as fake. My insides coil up. The effects of his charm quickly wear off as I sharply nod and return to the ground floor, texting Aya.

 **Who is he?**

 **Some transfer student taking art nxt yr at the same uni as us**

Cringing, I stop and collide against someone.

"Sorry!" My feeble attempt at an apology earns me a 'Fuck off' from the stranger. I glance back at my phone screen, unfazed from the hostility.

 **Lucky you!** Aya continues. **You get a hot guy for painting :( betcha got another one for physiology**

 **Don't be ridiculous. Just because I'm going to take two courses doesn't mean my classmates are going to be attractive males.**

 **HMPH! :3**

 **Aya? What is it?**

I receive no reply immediately. A tell tale sign that she really isn't going to tell me anything. I inwardly scowl and send her another text.

 **This party was shit. Don't bang anything that walks on two legs or gives you STDs. Call me if you need anything. Ttyl.**

It's getting late. Best to leave now before my parents realize I've broken my curfew. I slip my phone into my jacket pocket. My fingers bump into a fold of material. Paper?

I take the note out and read it.

The ink is somewhat smudged, but the writing is legible, albeit somewhat crooked.

 _Thank you_

I smile and walk out of the house, grateful for the cool sensation as the wind tickles my face. A drunk mistake.

Next time, Aya needs to restrict the alcohol limit for her partyers.


	2. Chapter One - Broken Conditions

**Do cats count?** _ **  
**_  
Stifling a giggle, I crawl on the couch, unable to turn the lights on lest I risk the awakening of my parents.

Or so I think.

"Young lady, do you realise what time it is?" The sudden illumination painfully blinds me.

I spin around, snarling a retort. "My name isn't 'young lady', and it's only 10:20!"

"Twenty minutes late! What were you doing, vandalising shit?" My father roars.

"Darling, shut the fuck up!" Mother's voice interrupts him from taking another breath. I shoot her a grateful look, but it goes unnoticed. Father glowers at me and heads back upstairs whilst muttering, announcing the end of this meeting with a slam of a door.

I run my fingers through blonde strands of hair, counting myself lucky for the feeble confrontation. My hands slightly shaking, I grab my laptop and check my mail.

* * *

 **(1) new message!  
**  
 _Books required for BSc(Physiol) 3 hours ago_

* * *

My heart drops. An email from one of my lecturers before Christmas? I warily open the email.

* * *

 _These are the books you must purchase before the start of your course._

 _HUBS148 Human Body Systems 1 by XXXXX XXXXXXXXX_

 _PHSL745 Neurophysiology by XXXXXXX XXXXXXX_

* * *

God, this is one hell of a lecturer. Not even a 'Hello' or 'Greetings'. I yawn, unable to plough any further into the list. Trudging into the kitchen, I open several drawers until I find my sleeping pills and a mug. I pour myself a glass of water and swallow the pill.

I tread upstairs, to my bedroom, leaving the door open. As I drift into a deep sleep, dreams of inky words, bittersweet poison, indistinct murmurs, and a single strand of a nostalgic melody infiltrate my mind.

I'm dreaming, dreaming, blackness.

* * *

Christmas. A strange holiday Sai does not understand. This is his first Christmas outside home. His fingers brush away the condensation on the windows, leaving tears in its wake.

"Are you listening to me?" An ugly girl he met in Aya's party sighs, drinking her coffee. He remembers this girl's name. Mizuki.

She clung to him during the party as if he was her lifeline after his confrontation with Aya. Sai does not like her but lacks the knowledge to deter her.

"My apologies, Mizuki." He smiles. "What were you saying?"

Her face turns scarlet, the same reaction that many girls display whenever he talks to them. The awkward silence fills their conversation as Mizuki fidgets around. Perhaps I should read more books about the minds of girls, he thinks. The only thing he knows what to say during a conversation with men (excluding his father) is that their penises are small.

"I-I was wondering where else we should go today…" She mumbles. "What about the park?"

He nods, keeping his smile even though she left no time for him to suggest a location. Smiles are the best way to get out of terrible situations, he reminds himself.

They both leave the cafe, into the wintry landscape. Mizuki walks closer to him, a strategic move. Is this what they call a date? Sai muses. He isn't in the slightest bit interested in her.

"Your fingernails are dirty." She comments.

"It's ink." He corrects her. A spark of heat flares in his chest. Another emotion?

"Painting?"

It blazes when he registers her question.

"Calligraphy."

"Cool."

Anger. So that's anger.

* * *

Sasori scowls. This is the mildest sign of anger he could allow himself at three in the morning. He stares at the surface of the desk, wondering where the marionette is.

He curses himself for indulging in the luxury of attaching himself emotionally to his creations. Especially the marionettes he based on certain people.

What a waste of time, he thinks, racking his head for any memory to resurface, to show him a subtle hint as to where it could be. A flash of a limb carved out of oak. Chisels, some glinting, some dull. Wood chips scattered everywhere.

In other words, nothing.

Nothing, and he has a lecture to orchestrate in the following eight hours. Sasori rearranges his desk, putting back the wood blocks in a cabinet along with his carving utensils. He slams his notes on the cutting board and glares at them, daring the words to disappear. On the brink of terror, they stay on the pages, stiff.

"Bloody hell."

Apathy begins to seep into his voice, smothering the irritation, persuading him to forsake the notes. He surrenders and sits on the bed, glancing at his watch.

3:14 AM

The 4 winks at him, and is replaced by a 5.

* * *

A/N : Weird. It wouldn't let me write his email. Worry not, this is also available on Wattpad :P


	3. Chapter Two - A Terrifying Surprise

"Hi, I'm Vida Malheur. I'm here for my timetable?"

I inwardly wince at my uncertainty. The receptionist gives me a reassuring smile as she flips through the stack of paper and hands me my timetable. Smiling weakly in response, I take it and flee from her sight, interpreting the sheet of paper.

Physiology, at nine… D2.19…

I flip over the sheet, revealing a map of the campus.

Oh, thank God. My finger traces the trail to the designated block. I check the time on my phone.

8:45 AM.

I could make it. Depends on what scale this map is. I make haste to D2.19, slipping through chattering rows of people in the hallway.

* * *

Something draws attention to Sai's vision. Strands of blonde hair. Bells ring, just like the saying. The strands catch the sunlight and turn pure white.

The bells ring louder.

He takes out his notebook to capture this moment.

* * *

I navigate arduously into the maze of near-identical pathways and buildings. Noticing a person emerging from the opposite building, I ask them which building she just left from.

I'm pretty sure this is the Languages facility.

"This is Economics." She frowns. "Which building are you looking for?"

"Uh..um...the lecture hall for Physiology?" I hand her my timetable.

She takes a glance and laughs. "You're going in the opposite direction."

"What?" I squawk. "Bullshit!"

She guides me through the map, and I thank her. Winding past the looming buildings, I take a quick look at the sign.

← Physiology (D2.19)

I push the doors open, panting, head hanging down. My arrival is greeted with a phrase dripping with sarcasm.

"Thank you," my lecturer glances at his watch, then scrutinizes me with vivid brown eyes. "For your punctuality."

He's rather short.

My face flushes at the intensity of his stare, as if he read my mind.

(Aya is going to kill me)

I grab a seat in the back row, and prepare myself for the session, fixing my hair and flipping through my notebook for a suitable, clean page. Aghast, I settle for the last page. I bury my face in my hands and peep through my fingers at the lecturer.

My hands are slightly shaking. I take a deep breath and survey our lecturer.

His chiselled beauty would seduce anybody to fall into the chasms of envy. His lithe figure emanates a rare aura of maturity. He sighs and sits on the table, his tousled crimson hair covering his eyes. Is he actually our lecturer? He looks young enough to be one of us.

If someone tells me he's an angel of retribution, hell, I would believe them.

As the last of the students trickle into the hall, the angel begins to speak.

"My name is Sasori Akasuna. I am your lecturer for Physiology. For the duration of this course, I demand utmost attention from all of my students."

My heart drops a few metres as he approaches the front row. Mr Akasuna snatches a cell phone from the clutches of a girl. She wails in indignation.

"Accessing social media during my lectures is forbidden." He stoically pockets the phone. "Any other questions?"

The student next to me raises his hand instantly, waving it around. Mr Akasuna glares at him.

"Will we be dissecting anything?"

"If you ask any more stupid questions, you'll be the first on the dissecting table, Uchiha."

The students let out hoots of laughter. I manage a grin as the boy wilts and stares at his textbooks, chewing the end of his pen. Mr Akasuna silences the class with his own. He gives us a detailed outline of the course and begins our first topic, homeostasis.

* * *

Aya is currently teetering on the edge of boredom, which is synonymous with insanity.

She curses at her luck as her eyes scan through her timetable for the umpteenth time. Her email had notified her that her English Lit classes began at 9 AM, but that shoddy receptionist had told her it was an error and had changed to 11 AM.

She grinds her teeth. What a waste of time. I could be sleeping, reading pornographic literature, or sleeping!

Aya tosses her head and checks her phone. No sign from Vida. Goody two shoes. Obviously wants to be the teacher's pet. Especially that teacher…

Letting out a giggle, her thoughts wander back to her current situation. There must be something she can do here. Introduce herself to some boys? She takes a glance to her right, looking for any potential prey. A tall, raven haired man leans against a pole, sketching.

Target locked.

She leaps off her feet and glides towards him.

"Hi handsome, what's your name?" She purrs and presses her face up to his.

He looks up from his sketchbook. Aya instantly recognises him.

"BLOODY HELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" She yowls.

"Hello, Aya. What happened?" Sai smiles that infuriating smile of his. "Your face is so ugly, I couldn't recognise you for a moment."

"I-I-"

She catches her breath and puts all her anger into a slap.

He grabs her wrist, and she steadies her feet from the momentum. Aya glares into his impassive eyes. What is wrong with him? Why doesn't he even look angry?

Sai lets her go. "I'm waiting for my painting class."

So that explains it. Aya stubbornly interrogates him further and asks what he's drawing. He turns the sketchbook.

The page depicts the back profile of a faceless girl, her straight hair in two different shades. Gold streaked with white.

She realises who it is. She's shocked. Echoing taunts ring in her ears, remembering the tears they wrought. The taunts are replaced by sobs, secretly wishes of escape. She makes up her mind; to eliminate this threat.

"Don't you dare speak to Vida." Aya hisses, and leaves him.

The corners of his lips curve as she leaves.


	4. Chapter Three - My Identity as an Artist

I leave the hall, my head aching from the Herculean task of taking notes whilst trying not to focus on Mr Akasuna's face. Pressing my face with both hands, I pull an exaggerated expression of mortification. I have to deal with this for at least a year?

Argh!

I head out to the cafeteria, shoving my thoughts away.

"Hey!"

Footsteps pound behind me. I ignore the greeting and continue walking.

"HEEEEEY! What's your name? I forgot to ask you! I sit next to you in Physiology!"

I whirl around, suppressing my irritation. In front of me is Dissection boy, with straggly, spiky cobalt hair.

"Vida Malheur."

He lets out a toothy grin. "My name is Tobi! I was wondering if you could join our group, the Akatsuki!"

A deadpan stare is what he receives. That grin of his wavers.

"Tobi! What did I tell you about recruiting new people, hn?" A blond haired man shouts, walking over to us. He glances at me and grunts, "I'm Deidara. Sorry about this idiot, hn."

"Senpai!" Tobi squeals as Deidara storms over to us. "I think she should join our group!"

"Why should we let her in?"

"Because Sasori bothered to make eye contact with her and she didn't laugh when I asked him a question!"

Deidara's face flickers with a foreign emotion when he hears Mr Akasuna's name. Strange. They must be familiar with him, but I have difficulty believing that the stoic lecturer would associate himself with these kinds of people…

"So, she's in Danna's class?" Deidara gazes at me. He grins and pulls out a flyer from his backpack. "Take this, hn. Konan might be interested in another girl that Danna thinks has skill."

Konan? Akatsuki? What? I hesitate but take the flyer anyway. Mr Akasuna thinks I have skill? My body temperature rises up at the mere thought.

Tobi frowns and cocks his head. "What's wrong? Your face is all red!"

I flinch and look away from their stares. Deidara lets out a bray of laughter.

"Don't even think about it, hn." He sneers. "Danna might be good lookin', but there's no way he'd mess around with students."

Raising an eyebrow, I smile and retort. "You underestimate me."

Not the answer he's expecting. Oh dear, I've done it again. His eyes widen with shock, and just when he's about to regain his composure, Aya's voice bursts into our thoughts.

"Vida! Come here! I need to talk to you now!"

I turn to face her direction. Hurriedly, I say sorry to the duo and rush towards her.

"What's wrong?"

"You know the guy who I nearly fucked in last year's graduation party?" She breathlessly whispers. I nod.

"You don't remember." She hisses. "Black hair and eyes, tall, and an insensitive fuckwit?"

Oh. "I remember now."

She takes a huge breath.

"He knows about your hair."

My mind freezes. "Wh-what?"

"Dye your eyebrows!"

"But nobody looks at my eyebrows!"

"Just do it!" She sighs and checks her watch. "Look, I need to go to my class. I'll text you about this after school. Got it?"

* * *

Strange. He flicks through the memories of her. Her application, record, and today's appearance. He frowns as his memory scrolls through the walls of text, and her photo. At least she's eligible for the group. A far better replacement than that idiot, Tobi.

But that shade of blonde. Hah, he'd never seen such an artificial colour in his life before.

He wipes the smirk off his face.

Now, where the hell did that marionette go?

* * *

She stands against the wall, music flows through her earphones as she stares off, into the distance.

What is she thinking?

Sai approaches her cautiously, unwilling to let her slip through his fingers like last time. He remembers the last time he smiled at her. A knowing gleam flashed through her eyes once she pierced through his façade. Shivering slightly, he thinks about how to approach her.

If he befriends her, will she be able to teach him more about emotions?

"Hello." He greets.

Her expression is emotionless, not unlike his. He repeats his greeting, louder.

Vida blinks twice and faces him, pulling free her left earphone.

A few seconds of silence pass.

"I heard you knew about my hair," she responds. Puzzled, his mind winds back to his conversation with Aya earlier.

"I thought your hair was beautiful." He says, using honesty for his possibly to-be mentor. "The white highlights in contrast to your blonde hair was a sight to behold."

She scowls, her face flushing at his response. Vida runs her fingers through her hair.

"I-I...My hair is dyed."

Sai remains silent.

"I'm an albino." She reflects, as if her statement is false. Suddenly, she laughs. "I don't know why I'm telling this to you."

He notices her hands are shaking.

"Why are you afraid?"

"I used to get bullied because of my hair, along with other factors."

Silence creeps back into their conversation. Sai is speechless. No book could prepare him for this. She pushes herself off the wall, and whisks herself away into the classroom. Sai follows her.

"Relentless, aren't you?" She grins and pulls out various objects from her duffel bag. "Well, since you know some things about me, why don't you tell me about yourself?"

He knows how to reply to this question.

"My name is Sai. Sai Shimura."

"Anything else?"

He shakes his head.

"I don't believe you." She simply responds. "Well, since you're in this course, what media do you use?"

"Ink."

"Interesting. You know, I took this course because obviously, the stigma surrounding graffiti still hasn't changed for the last five decades. It's a shame, really. The majority of the buildings here are drab as Satan's balls."

The teacher saunters into the classroom and greets them both.

"Why, you two are quite enthusiastic, coming here so early." She giggles.

"Your nose is quite large." Sai comments.

Vida raises an eyebrow, and pounds her fists on the table, laughing at the teacher's horrified expression.


	5. Chapter Four - Expectations

The door chimes sing.

Rex's head snaps to the entrance and he greets the hooded customer. The figure enters and peers at the canvases.

"Do you require any assistance?"

It shuffles to the counter and slams both hands on the surface.

"I'm afraid we don't have cash on these premises." He states, eyeing his craft knife.

Oh gods, time to prepare myself.

The figure pulls back the hood. Rex gapes at the familiar face. Vida cackles, her blonde hair a mess.

"You idiot!" He explodes. "I was about to stab you!"

"Key word. About." She smirks and props her chin.

"How's uni?" He grumbles.

She shrugs and inspects an eraser. Faber Castell, dust free. A good choice. Vida rolls it between her fingers, ignoring Rex's glare. He snatches it away from her grasp. "Nothing special. Aya's a bit jealous of my classmate, but that's it. Got any new books lately?"

"No." He returns the shrug. "Speaking of books there's a customer upstairs so don't make so much noise. Is it a boy again?"

"Yes. She didn't get to screw him in last year's grad party because he refused."

Rex whistles in amazement. "He resisted her?"

"I dunno. He's rather eccentric. Unemotional. Not apathetic, just...hollow."

"A troubled soul? You'd be the perfect girlfriend for him, Vida."

"Tyrus," she warns, using his real name. Rex sticks his tongue out. "Honestly, I feel so old. It seems like an eternity when we three were back in high scho-"

The stairs creak. Vida whisks herself away from sight, fleeing to the scrapbook corner. Rex takes a step back and stretches his arms, yawning ever so slightly. I can't believe she still does that. A familiar red-haired man glides down the stairs, with a book tucked under his arm. Rex would do anything to be that book. What's his name again?

Sasori Akasuna? Something similar.

Sasori slides the book across the counter. A smooth twenty dollar note lies on the book's cover. Rex accepts the money and hands him change, knowing that this particular customer dislikes waiting.

"Clean the counter." The redhead mutters with disgust as he sweeps a strand of blonde hair away.

Rex apologizes in advance. The customer picks up the book, and leaves the shop, waking the chimes. An audible sigh is heard across the room. Vida treads across the room, hugging a scrapbook.

"Are you going to buy that?"

"That was my Physio lecturer!" She mutters. Rex rolls his eyes. What was her lecturer going to do when he saw her? Bite her in half?

"So what?" Rex grabs Vida's scrapbook. "Are you going to stalk him?"

She hands him the money. "I'm not Aya. How long has he been to this shop for?"

"A couple of years, give or take. He seems to be a sculptor. All he ever buys is carving utensils and the oddball book. I suppose my luck rubbed off on you."

Vida snorts, remembering Rex's letter from last year addressing to her and Aya.

 _To my two lovely muses, the fiery Aya and serene Vida,_

 _I'm very lucky to have spent my high school years with you two, they were possibly the best years of my life. I was the envy of every man, (Aya, get over it) and I finally found something I can invest in during my adult years._

He must be referring to the letter. Huh, as if this is luck. This is exactly the mess Vida doesn't want to get into, the love child between your typical romance novel and the schoolgirl fantasy. Rex looks at the expression on her face and sighs.

"Look, I know that this might seem like shit, but at least you can talk to that delicious piece of eye candy. I'm stuck to the shopkeeper niceties." He rips off the receipt. "You should go home soon. It's 6:34."

She shakes her head. "Can't. Need to check this place out first. And there is no way I'm hitting on my lecturer."

"Why not? He doesn't seem far off from our age."

"Just...don't." Vida winces and exits the shop.

Rex sighs again. Girls are so strange.

* * *

 **The Akatsuki needs you!**

 **We are a non-profit social services group that aims to present people the opportunity to assist others during troubled times.**

 **If you are interested, please visit the address below to apply!**

I stare bemusedly at the flyer. How informative.

 _Konan might be interested in another girl that Danna thinks has skill._

I pull my hood down as I take the bus. Skill? What skills do you need for this? At least my first day in university was eventful.

So many questions, so little time and energy.

I take a seat and gaze at the dimming sky. Possibilities fly through my mind as it reels through my conversation with Rex. I indulge my inner voice with my lecturer's first name.

Sasori.

Curling up, my mind purrs the last syllable, savouring each sound. Utterly bewitching, to wake up next to him, sunlight streaming through the curtains, and run your hands through his crimson hair and -

Vida. Get your shit together. I pull my hood down further. God. I'm hopeless.

Ripping my mind from terrible fantasies, I throw it back to the project our painting teacher assigned us for this week.

" _Pair up with a partner! This week's assignment will give me a good idea of your art styles and your preferred mediums! All you have to do is find a piece of A3 paper and stick on your drawings and such."_

 _I wonder what she'll think if she realises I specialize in graffiti… Hopefully, she's not one of those idiots who believe that it takes no skill. Glaring at Sai, I tell him that he's my partner, only because I don't know anyone else in my class. He gives me what Aya would call a shit-eating smile. I scribble some ideas on the back of my notepad. Looks like I'll have to resort to A4 card this time._

Hopefully applying won't take too long. I get off the bus and walk to the address, counting off the retail buildings. I reach to the end of the line and look at the sign.

 _ **Eye of the Needle Body Art**_

This must be the place. Rechecking the flyer, I enter the parlour. The receptionist, a blue haired woman around her mid-thirties greets me. Her head is adorned with a single, cornflower blue origami rose.

"Um..Hi. I'm wondering if this is the right place?" I ask.

I hand over the flyer. Her eyes widen and her lips curve upwards.

"Hello. You must be Vida." She greets. "My name is Konan."

She flips over the flyer and grabs a ballpoint pen.

"What am I doing?" I think out loud. Oops.

"You're applying for Sasori's position. Did he not tell you this?" Her amber eyes narrow.

"No, Tobi and Deidara gave me this flyer and said that Mr, ah, Sasori thought I had skill or something," I mumble.

Her expression softens as my face blushes. She sighs. "Those two can't control their enthusiasm. Honestly. Well, what you're applying for is an organisation whose purpose is to assist those with rough pasts and teach them how to become a positive influence towards society."

What? What?!

"Do you still want to join?"

I nod. I have a lot of time to kill. Maybe I'll find out more things about him. Konan asks me my credentials and my past. After I tell her my story, my chest aches.

"All right, you're ready to go. But one more thing." She pauses and glances at my hands.

"You need to paint your nails teal."

Shrugging, I thank her and leave the parlour. I glance at my nails. Teal?

My mind begins to insistently tug at my consciousness. I brush it away and hurry back to the bus stop, longing for familiar territory.


	6. Chapter Five - My Past, Your Present

"Do you understand me? Note down anything significant she says and hand me the papers in my office tomorrow."

"Whatever you say, hn." Deidara grunts, manoeuvring the phone away from Tobi's flailing arms. "But, Danna, why are you paying so much attention to her?"

"Jealous?" Sasori snarkily replies.

"Hm! As an artist to another artist, I've never seen you draw inspiration from anyone except him."

"I don't see why I should." He coolly returns.

 _Beep... beep... beep..._

Deidara grinds his teeth. Dammit! Babysitter yesterday, catspaw today. What the hell? Tobi lunges for the phone. Again.

"That's it!"

"OW! Owowow! Senpai, what did I do?" Tobi sobs, rubbing his cheek.

"Quit it, you asshole! Hn!" Deidara yells. He still can't believe the news Konan told him earlier this week, that that Malheur girl was going to be in his group. "Danna wants intel about Vida. I hate to admit it but you need to help me, hn."

He reminisces his conversation with Vida.

A flash of anger in her golden eyes.

" _You underestimate me."_

The sound of her voice tears through his pride. Smug bitch, if only her friend didn't butt in… He checks his watch. It's almost time for today's job. Deidara rolls his sleeves up and prepares to drag Tobi to the park. He sways away from his grasp and holds up a finger, indicating another annoying speech.

"Because Zetsu said Tobi is a good boy, I swear, on my honour as a schoolgirl, my Senpai shall not fall for Vida's charms!"

"... Let's just go, hn."

* * *

Sai double checks the list Vida gave him.

 _Animals? → Planning to go for birds so draw some exotic animals (e.g lions)_

 _Architecture could work or anything you want. I don't think we're going to get graded for this anyway._

He flips it over. A blank surface. He wonders how Vida knows that he prefers to draw lions. Is it what they call a lucky guess?

It doesn't matter. He has work to finish. The usual procedure as always.

Sai gathers the materials necessary for his work, his ink stick, ink stone, water dishes, brushes and a package. He coaxes a sheet of rice paper out of the packaging and whilst flattening the creases at the corners, his mind whirrs, calculating each of the strokes required for this painting.

The door creaks open.

"What are you doing?" A gruff voice asks.

"I'm working, Father," Sai replies.

He hears a clicking sound behind him and continues to his work.

* * *

Oh shit oh shit oh shit!

I stuff my phone into my bag and sling it over my shoulder, zooming out of the door. Bloody chores! I swear, if I'm late for this, I'm never going to wash the dishes again. Thank God the location for this job is close by. Rubbing hand sanitizer to get rid of the gritty sensation on my hands, I jog my way to the local park.

I slow down upon arrival, wiping the sweat off my brow. A familiar voice greets me.

"Hi Vida! Today we're cleaning cars! I'm so excited!" Tobi gushes out. I notice his plain orange mask, which completely covers his face except for his right eye.

"What...What is with that mask?" I point out.

"Uhh, it's a secret!"

Stifling a laugh, I scan the area and see Deidara approaching us. I greet him and ask him about the mundaneness of this job.

"Hey, if Konan let me choose, I'd rather blow stuff up, hn!" He shrugs and flashes an enthusiastic grin. "Because true art is an explosion!"

A pyromaniac, huh? We walk to the car park and set up our station, passing each other water buckets and sponges.

"So, what do you think is true art?" Deidara questions as we pour water onto our first vehicle.

"In all honesty, I don't believe in true art. Art is art, no matter the form. Especially modern art. If you're asking what I prefer, it's graffiti." I ramble, wiping streaks off a window. "Why ask?"

Tobi flings a sponge on the rear windows, dangerously close to Deidara's shoulder. "Tobi, if you try to throw another sponge at me, I'll make you wish you were never born, hn!"

He avoided my question. I rub harder, wishing these dust particles could be less persistent. So this is what I signed up for. I admit, this is a good trap to get me to do community service.

 _So what do you do on weekends?_

 _I help the community._

 _Oh, you're such a good girl!_

I roll my eyes at the pretend conversation my mind whips up. As if any of Mother's friends care about what I do. Their life doesn't revolve around mine.

But you still want attention, my inner voice coaxes. From a certain someone. Certainly not your lecturer, but a certain classmate…

Bullshit. I wipe the soap suds away. He's not even my type. I see him as a friend, not fuck material. Sasori, on the other hand, is a far more eligible candidate.

So much for saying you're not like Aya. The voice lets out an infuriating laugh and whisks away from my presence. Damn, it got me again. I scowl and throw the sponge into the bucket.

"Hey, who do you live with?" Tobi asks.

"You trying to stalk me?" I laugh, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. I indulge him with the information that I live with both of my parents.

"What's your father like? Is he tall and scary?"

"He's not that tall, really. But he's an alcoholic, so he never stays put at home."

"I see, I see." He nods his head frantically. Picking up a fresh sponge, I ponder at the point of this interrogation. Well, it's not like they can even put it to effective use. "What about your mother?"

"She used to be an archaeologist. But she quit when she found out she was expecting. Why are you asking these questions?"

"It's a secret!" Tobi says and picks up a bucket. Deidara excuses himself, saying that he needs to make a phone call.

We go through the job in utter silence once he returns, checking each other's car for any missed patches. Finishing the arduous task, we sigh simultaneously and huddle under a tree.

"So, why did you join this group?" I turn towards Deidara. He takes a swig of water and rubs his face with a towel.

"I bombed my teacher's house, hn." He grins. "Oh, and a couple of others."

"I don't even know why I'm not surprised." I raise an eyebrow and turn towards Tobi. "What about you?"

"M-me? I just want to help the community, that's all! Ahahaha…"

Time to cut the crap.

"So why does Sasori want me to join this group?"

"Uhh..ahh...umm," they stammer. Deidara slaps a hand over Tobi's mask.

"Danna wants you to join the group because you have skill."

"No shit. Be more articulate. What kind of skill?"

"I seriously don't know, hn." He shrugs. I glare at him, but elicit no further responses. Checking the time, I rummage my bag for a bunch of chocolate bars and hand them out to the duo. I thank them and hurry back to home.

"Hey!" Deidara calls out.

I whip back to face them.

"Thank you for the bars! And by the way, Senpai has something to tell you!" Tobi laughs.

Deidara grins in response and speaks.

"Danna was convicted of murder."

* * *

 **The updating spree is now over. Updates will roll over in a weekly schedule unless if I get huge ass assignments to work on.**

 **Thank you for reading ~ Fetus**


	7. Chapter Six - Inexperience

Racing down the stairs whilst clutching a folder against your chest is uncomfortable as fuck. Vida grimaces and relaxes her grip on the stairs railing.

The disgruntled female takes a seat and slams her duffel bag on the table, claiming it as her own. Hostile stares greet her, but she brushes it off. She teases the cards along with their corresponding stencils out of the folder and places them on the surface, admiring her handiwork. They were murals depicting humans, on the verge of morphing into something more sinister, animalistic even. Good practice for my next project. She taps her toes on the floor, waiting for her partner to arrive.

And lo and behold, he emerges from the shelves, carrying a stack of books. Vida scrutinizes at the spines.

 _HOW TO TALK TO ANYONE 95 tricks to make your relationships work_

"Hello."

"What're the books for?" She waves a finger around in circles.

"Research." He answers, his speech lifeless. A familiar symptom of a malady? Her lips curve slightly as her eyes follow his path, hands reaching for his bag after setting the books down.

Sai pulls out a folder deftly, as if he practised this scene for eons. He hands his works to her outstretched hand. Vida admires his handiworks; Oriental lions in various settings. She indulges in the analysis of the swift strokes that adorns each piece. Her fingers rub the bottom right corner, growing fonder of the velvety texture. Strange. What paper is this?

"Your stuff is great, like, a lot better than the so-called masterpieces from the Japanese Traditional exhibition a couple of months ago. You should try submitting your works sometime."

 _Danna was convicted of murder._

God dammit. Turning her face away from sight, she pulls out a roll of A3 paper and spreads it across the table, sighing.

"Your face is pale. Are you all right?" His hand reaches out, cold fingers brushing against her cheek. Vida jerks back.

"Not as pale as yours. Don't do that again," she lets out a mock growl, ignoring the sound of her thundering heart. Shuffling his and her works back and forth, she ponders, her eyes staring at the sticky note on her folder.

 **Abnormalize.**

"I know this is out of the blue, but do you name your works?"

"I don't name any of them."

"Never?"

"I've drawn countless of pictures, but when I muster the effort to give them titles, I can't do it. I can't feel."

He could be the next big hit on television. Vida stifles a snigger, noticing the corners of his lips moving.

Oh god, not _again_.

"Stop."

His lips freeze and revert to a stiff line.

"My apologies, was that the wrong thing to do?"

Resisting the temptation to confirm his fears, she shakes her head. "Are you being serious with the whole 'I don't have emotions or the capability to act properly in society'?"

"I don't have any of what you'd call emotions."

Time to test it. Her hand lunges forward and halts, hovering a few millimetres from his face.

Nothing. No fear, no reaction. Perhaps another method?

"I'm pregnant."

His head tilts to the left. "You don't believe me?"

Gods, not even a glimmer in his eyes, or another shit eating grin. It's like conversing with a marble statue. I've seen apathy before, but this was on a new level.

Hollow, empty and truly not alive.

"Read your books."

Pulling back her lips to a grimace, Vida admits defeat, and works on the layout of the portfolio, occasionally answering Sai's questions about human interactions.

* * *

"So am I right about you wanting to get in his pants or am I right?"

Wincing at the crude reply, I offer her a better alternative of what I really want. "No. You know our society abolished that particular mindset regarding about homosexual people a few decades ago?"

She hums, tapping her feet on the ground.

"So what's the problem about having a relationship with someone who's simply older than you?"

"That's the problem!" She leaps to her feet, her black hair disarray. "I don't want you dating, much less marrying, someone two decades older than you!"

My heart plummets as my mind digests her last sentence. She realises her mistake, and whirls away, refusing to meet my gaze.

"You hacked into the system."

"Well…duh! I was grounded for the entirety of last month, so I decided to _do_ something," Aya snaps.

"I don't believe you."

"You don't believe me? Fine. I've done my research. Facebook, birth records, you name it. Plus, you barely know anything about him!" Hissing in reply, she whips back around to face me, maroon eyes vehemently full of anger.

 _She wasn't supposed to._

I rub my temples, reeling from the shock that my sexually active best friend would oppose to this idea. What else does she know? What else?

 _I want to know, I want to know, know, know_

"Vida, you're giving me the 'I'll fuck you up if you don't spill' eyes."

"Oh, sorry." Shuddering, I relax, muffling the rabble of voices inside. "Well, what else should we talk about during this 'fabulous' sleepover?"

"How's Rex?" She mumbles, chewing her fingernails. "Still a bundle of sticks?"

I bite my tongue, cutting off a bark of laughter at the euphemism. "He's ok, running the shop as usual. I need to ask him for a couple of discounts for the upcoming Lunar festival."

Focusing her gaze on me, she rips off a sliver of pale keratin off her fingernail. "Did you take your medication?"

"Yes, mother," I sigh and slide under the duvet. "Around thirty minutes ago."

"How am I supposed to sleep when you have that useful medication of yours?"

"Count sheep, I don't know," I mumble through the sheets. My eyelids flutter as the drowsiness kicks in. Aya takes a deep breath, chanting a faint mantra.

"One penis, two penises, three penises…"

* * *

'The phase image resembles you, the wave is left behind, swaying for two seconds. The phase image left me behind, breaking apart after two seconds...'

He takes a few sips of the lukewarm, bitter concoction, staring out at the fuzzy lights of the cityscape. His fingertips are tender from pulling splinters out from a particular marionette.

Eyes gouged out, golden flecks peeled off the surface as if they were tears of blood. The sockets were scarred deeply, an amusing reflection of himself.

What happened?

He only had two answers. Either it was him whilst intoxicated, or Deidara, who had spare keys to his apartment. But he'd never commit this atrocity unless if he had a death wish.

Suddenly, Sasori grew very weary of living. It wasn't the 'I'm tired of people and their verbal diarrhoea' weariness that usually hounded him on these nights. The kind of weariness dragging his heart down was the 'I can't even follow my aspirations, what hope do I have?'

He sets down the coffee mug and rests his gaze on the doll. A phrase he's sick of hearing himself say leaves his lips.

"I'm sorry."

Letting out a stiff laugh, he shakes his head.

Oh god.

I'm lost, even after this blasted change of career. How long have I been lost for?

 _Too long. Far too long._

A prickling sensation stings his eyes, forcing him to squeeze his eyelids shut. Perhaps he should've followed his grandmother's advice all those years ago. Grab a submissive girl from a sea of bland people and dominate her. He shudders at the thought of spending his life with someone whose only use was entertainment through manipulation.

But even having someone to warm the bed is better than staring into a familiar abyss, drowning in detrimental thoughts. Sasori takes a seat, and begins to chip away the flaws from the marionette, hoping that indulging in past memories will chase the shadows away.

And they did.

* * *

 **A/N:** This one took waaaaaay too long. I apologize for the wait ;-; **CURRENTLY STILL LOOKING FOR A BETA READER**

-Fetus


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